Violence, mental disorder and public protection

Research on violence has been given low priority until recently. As a result, our understanding of the links between violence and mental disorder has changed considerably over the last 25 years, as studies with better methodology have emerged. Whilst most violence in society is not due to mental disorder, violence is not uncommon as a complication of some mental illnesses. It follows that violence risk management is part of holistic mental healthcare. It is important to distinguish violence which is directly linked to symptoms of mental illness from that which is coincidental. In the former, the link is often through delusions that lead to a sense of personal threat or thoughts that lead to the overriding of normal self-control. Such violence is potentially avoidable through proper treatment of psychotic symptoms, which should be a priority whenever there is a history of violence.